Kamala Harris introduces herself to the wider electorate on DNC Day 4
Kamala Harris’ policy talk touched on her “greatest hits” in her presidential nomination acceptance speech during the DNC Day 4 on Aug. 22, 2024.
The Democratic National Convention ended Thursday with Vice President Kamala accepting her party’s nomination for president.
It was historic on several fronts and interesting on several more. Harris is the first Black woman and the first Indian American to win the nomination of a major U.S. political party. Of interest, of course, is that a little more than a month ago she was running for vice president, riding in President Joe Biden’s sidecar. The convention was supposed to be built around Biden, until he dropped out of the race after a disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump.
Democrats rallied, however, and turned what seemed like it might have been a gloomy march toward defeat in November into an optimistic dance party of a convention. (Which doesn’t matter, of course, unless they actually vote.) It certainly seemed like fun on TV, which is where the majority of people experienced it.
Kamala Harris, Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama crushed it
For TV viewers the convention centers on the speeches. And while there were plenty of good ones, one thing stood out after watching for four days: The three most impactful speeches at the DNC were delivered by Black women: Harris, Michelle Obama and, yes, Oprah Winfrey.
Conventions still have a bit of the good ol’ boy feel to them, which is exactly what they were for decades. Good ol’ white boys. And the convention had its share — Biden, for instance, former President Bill Clinton, along with any number of politicians and, of course, Tim Walz, the nominee for vice president.
Obviously people of color aren’t shut out in either party. Democrats nominated and elected a Black man for president. Twice. TV personality Amber Rose made headlines speaking at the Republican National Convention in July. Madeline Brame, a victims rights advocate whose son, a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, was murdered, also spoke. Nikki Haley, who ran against Trump for the Republican nomination, did, as well, among many others. Plenty of people of color also spoke at the DNC — including Michelle Obama’s husband, Barack.
This felt different. This felt like a sea change. Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. But it was definitely a powerful moment. Three powerful moments, really.
Michelle Obama turns Trump’s ‘Black jobs’ line against him
Michelle Obama’s speech Tuesday night was a stunner. She did not come to play. She turned some of Trump’s racist tropes back on him. “Who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might just be one of those ‘Black jobs?’” was one of the great lines of the entire convention.
More importantly, she stressed not being complacent. Sure, everyone is happy at a political convention. Republicans were practically dancing in the streets when they thought they would be running against Biden. In a call-and-response bit, the DNC crowd repeated, “Do something” (instructions from her late mother, she said, which Harris would repeat in her speech).
It was amazing TV. Obama is a mesmerizing speaker. She practically dared viewers to walk away from the TV. I sure didn’t.
Oprah told Democrats to ‘choose joy’
Oprah Winfrey was a surprise addition to the Wednesday lineup. If you’ve ever been in a room with her — I have — there is a genuine electricity to her. (I say this as someone who wasn’t a huge fan of her TV show.) She is a presence, and it showed.
Winfrey told the crowd to “choose joy,” which was kind of an unofficial theme of the convention.
“Let us choose common sense over nonsense,” she said, “because that’s the best of America. And let us choose the sweet promise of tomorrow over the bitter return to yesterday. But more than anything else, let us choose freedom. Why? Because that’s the best of America.”
Of course, all of this would have mattered a lot less if Harris tanked her speech. She didn’t. There was considerable pressure on her — as pundits reminded in the lead-up, this is not a speech she planned to give a month ago, and it would effectively introduce her to the nation. As much emphasis would be placed on how she delivered it as what she said. Could she sound presidential?
(Has Trump ever sounded presidential? But the media hold him to a different, lesser standard.)
By all accounts she did. “With this election, our nation has a precious, fleeting opportunity to move past the bitterness, cynicism and divisive battles of the past,” Harris said. “A chance to chart a new way forward. Not as members of any one party or faction. But as Americans.”
The two lines that summed up the heart of her speech were these: “In many ways, Donald Trump is an unserious man. But the consequences of putting Donald Trump back in the White House are extremely serious.”
Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey weren’t the headliners the nights they spoke. (Harris was on her night, obviously.) But I have a feeling these three are the ones we’re going to remember. And that means something. “We’re not going back” is a big Harris theme. This felt like proof.
Fox News, CNN, MSNBC agree: Harris’ DNC speech was ‘powerful’
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Publish date : 2024-08-23 08:43:00
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